Falcon Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mesa, Arizona 85205
Saturday, May 12, 1990 16:10 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR LANDING AND MADE A RIGHT TURN WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT UPON DEPARTURE, THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE RIGHT TANK WAS 1/4 FULL. DURING THE ENSUING EMERGENCY, THE PILOT OVER-SHOT HIS INTENDED LANDING POINT. THE PILOT THEN MADE A RIGHT 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TO THE FIELD AND STALLED THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN SHORT OF THE INTENDED RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SAFE AIRSPEED AND INADVERTENT STALL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S MISJUDGING FUEL SUPPLY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/12/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1610
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City MESA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85205
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FALCON FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FFZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1392
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1577
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 12 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42848
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6431W
NTSB Number LAX90LA172
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-20501
Certified Max Gross Weight 1950
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 16 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3651
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM J. BEYER, III
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2641 W. BENTRUP ST.
Aircraft Owner City CHANDLER
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85224
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code P19
Departure City CHANDLER
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22L
Runway Length 5100
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --